A whole year!

fastest year of my life!

Oh... I can't believe it's been a whole year!!!  My sweet little princess is growing up WAY too fast for me.  It scares me, but at the same time, it's still really fun and exciting (how does that work?).  She has such a strong personality.  It's fun to watch it come out in so many different situations.  She likes to walk now, which is really fun for all of us!  She prefers it, and prefers not to be helped in any way!  She will even walk close to things like the coffee table and fireplace hearth without touching them!  I think that's cool.  She holds her hands up in the air and then flips her little feet as they come out in front with each step.  And she has the sweetest look on her face in the meantime :)  Sheer pride!!!  I'm so proud of her!  I think it's safe to say that she is the first kid of our six to walk on a regular basis before turning one!  No offense to any of the other kids, but this is just really phenomenal to me.  I figured she would walk later than the last one since the rest of them followed this pattern.  I think Charity was pretty close to this soon, but I think Erika beat her by just a hair.  (not hair on her head though.... she still has very little on the top of her head :) )  She still doesn't really love to eat unless it's something she's found on the ground all by herself.  This is proof of her independence and self-sufficiency.  She really is.  She has her moments though, and still LOVES to be in Mommy's arms especially if I'm walking around.  She likes it when Daddy rocks her to sleep at night.  And she's a total sucker for "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".  She can't keep her eyes open when she hears us sing it.  It's been really handy on those nights when she wakes up as I lay her in her bed.  She really just loves to have someone right there with her.  It's cute.  She is starting to sleep a little more at night and has slept through the night a few times especially lately.  She goes to bed pretty late though, so I don't know if it's a whole night's sleep yet.  She likes books, dogs (especially the panting sound we all make when we see one), stuffed animals, baby dolls (basically anything she can stick in the crook of her arm and cuddle), candy (darn halloween), mashed potatoes, lasagna, drinks from her sippy cup, being outside- she LOVES the park and going on the playground by herself, crawling up the stairs the minute the gate is opened, her family- especially smacking Luke in the face and pulling on his ears while he laughs, and new things.  She really is such a fun little girl.  I love how happy she is since she started walking.  A lot less tears.  She's just needed the independence I think.  I love her scrunched up nose smile.  I love her chubby little hands and how they rub her big brown eyes right before she's about to eat.  And I love that she's mine.

The Hoop Shoot

On Friday 11-5-10, Charity competed in her school's Hoop Shoot Contest.  I didn't get to go but I got all the details from Nate, he was there taking pictures and cheering her on.  She was one of two girls in her division.  She got 5 practice shots.  She missed all five.  Then they each got 10 shots.  They both missed all of those. Then they each get 15 more shots.  Nate says that she started looking really tired and began Granny shooting halfway through these, and then FINALLY, on the 13th shot, she MADE IT IN!!!!!!  She made ONE basket, the other girl made none.  So Charity WON!!!!!  We've all joked a lot about how she got pretty lucky :)  But it's still pretty cool for her.  She gets to go to Viewmont next Saturday to compete against the winners from other schools.  I guess it goes on from there to Region and then State..... I think if she practices as hard as I know she can, she could actually go pretty far with this!!!  She loves basketball, she loves competition, and she likes to be in the spotlight.  I think she's pretty amazing.  To get out there in front of everyone and do something like that really makes me proud.  I wish I could have seen her, hopefully I can go to the one at Viewmont :) 

what a cool little girl.  and she's mine.

Random Pictures

Last Thursday, Sarah Saved the day and came over to visit.  It was so nice to have her!  Charlie and Alvin too of course :)  The boys had a lot of fun together.

Here's Erika in her REAL costume.... too bad she didn't have it on Halloween.

Nate took a bunch of pictures of the leaves on the trees.  About 2 days later now, they're all gone!  I LOVE Fall!!!  Jackets!!!!  Sweaters!!!  Orange, Brown, Yellow, Red..... it's just beautiful!

Friday (Nate's day off) we took Luke, Noah and Erika down to the Lake to throw rocks in the water :)  If you need a fun activity for two little boys (and apparently a little girl now too!) this is the perfect one!  They love it.  This lake is particularly disgusting and not really my favorite place to go, but it's close, and it works :)  Erika had the time of her life!  She hasn't quite learned that she can't go in the water and that was very frustrating to her.

She literally walked off the dock, luckily I had her hand!!!

Erika LOOOOOOOOVES ducks!  She can't get enough of them, even in pictures, she's been sitting here freaking out about them.  We'll have to take another trip up to Wheeler Farm.

Just testing out another photo editor.  I LOVE this one.  We'll see if I can make it work for my good :)  You'll have to tell me what you think of these editted pictures..... I'm new at this :)

Future Memories

- We found a house real close here in Bountiful that we are going to rent.  It's really exciting to think about moving.  I guess I feel worried that it's somehow going to fall through, since that's happened so much lately.  But the 15th is the special day.  I like that it's a whole house to ourselves.  I'm glad that buying a house is just around the corner and I wish we didn't have to do the packing and moving stuff twice so close together, but I don't care.  This will be a good thing!  I'm excited!

- Erika is WALKING!!!!  Like really walking!  She prefers it now over not!  I would say she started walking on Sunday the 24th for real- for record keeping perposes.  It's so fun to watch her walk!  I love that she is so gungho about it too!  She feels so cool!

- Brad asked me yesterday, "Mom, why do people always say that your hands are full??"  Makes me laugh but it also makes me wish people would stop saying it.  I don't want my kids to think they are too much trouble.

- Last night (11-2-10) we went bowling for FHE.  It was SO much fun!  Steve and Jauslin came with us and we ALL got WHOOPED up on by none other than the little two-year old Noah :)  How funny is that.  Yep, we still stink at Bowling (well, some of us do :) ).  Here's the line up
Noah- 100- bumpers and ramp used- bounced and squealed when he got his strike on the last frame.... it was adorable. He also carried his own ball which kinda blew me away each time he was up.  Strong little guy!
Nate- 90- no bumpers but considered using the ramp- was all caught up with Noah until Noah got his last strike.
Me- 90- no bumpers, no ramp- I'm actually really proud of my score, although I was hoping to break 100 I've never done that.
Kelly- 87- bumpers, NO ramp!- This little chick totally RAN down to the lane with that HUGE ball weighing her down as she went.... I seriously couldn't believe my eyes each time, I thought the thing was going to take off with her arm.  She did really great for a shrimpy little girl :)
Bradley- 85- bumpers, NO ramp- he worked hard as well!  I was impressed with his ability to carry the ball down to the lane.
Charity- 85- bumpers, no ramp- she did awesome, and I LOVED her little laying on the floor and twisting to "make the ball turn and go in", she's so fun!  This was her family night idea too, I loved it!
Luke- 84- Bumpers, ramp- He did awesome with carrying his own ball as well.  I love how excited he was when he would get a spare.  He kind of seemed to lose interest halfway through.  But he stuck with it!
I don't remember what Steve and Jauslin got, and Erika did not play.  She enjoyed walking up to the ball thing and then squealed when we would pick her up and make her go back to the chairs.  Typical new walker :)  But good times!!  Too bad the camera is still in Day Break!

- Wednesday (11-3-10) was Kelly's class Music party.  They earn these parties with good behavior.  The Party consists of snacking on the "healthy snack" they each bring, and then performing a talent that they have prepared.  I've only heard about these parties every once in a while and haven't thought much about them (except when we're trying to find a "healthy snack" that they want to take.... it's a little difficult for some reason!).  Well this week, Kelly informed me that she did the dance to Hannah Montana's Hoedown Showdown line dance in front of her class!  As she sang it too!!  I was floored!!!  This little girl is SUCH a performer at home, but it never occurred to me that she was brave enough to do these kinds of things at school!!  I was so impressed I just had to record it :)  Charity decided she is going to do the same thing for her class.

- On Friday 11-5-10, Charity competed in her Hoop Shoot Contest.  I didn't get to go but I got all the details from Nate, who was there taking pictures and cheering her on.  She was one of two girls in her division.  They got 5 practice shots.  She missed all five.  Then they each got 10 shots.  They both missed all of those.  For the tie breaker they each got 15 more shots.  Nate says that she started looking really tired and began Granny shooting halfway through these, and then FINALLY, on the 13th shot, she MADE IT IN!!!!!!  She made one basket, the other girl made none.  Charity WON!!!!!  We've all joked a lot about how she got pretty lucky :)  But it's still pretty cool for her.  She gets to go to Viewmont next Saturday to compete against the winners from other schools.  I guess it goes on from there to Region and then State..... I think if she practices as hard as I know she can, she could actually go pretty far with this!!!  She loves basketball, she loves competition, and she likes to be in the spotlight.  I think she's pretty amazing.  To get out there in front of everyone and do something like that really makes me proud.  I wish I could have seen her, hopefully I can go to the one at Viewmont :) 

- On Thursday night I finally got to use my coupons that had been burning a whole in the envelope since the new Smith's ads had come out (I've started couponing in case I haven't mentioned that).  I was able to go to Smith's and bought $25 worth of stuff for only $4!!!!  I was really proud of myself :)  Thought about taking a picture of it all and posting it on here, but I got too lazy.  Sorry.  I keep getting free stuff in the mail everyday and that's been fun as well.  I'm calling it my new hobby.  I'd like to think I'm saving us money, and in the long run I probably am, but spending money is hardly saving it :)  So hopefully it pays off.

The Chipmunks and Chipettes go Trick-or-Treating

I'm not sure how I missed posting these, but here are my little Chipmunks and Chipettes (a little late, but oh well :) )

I think I threw this idea out there when we watched the Squeakuel together, not really thinking we would do it, and the girls just latched right onto it!  And the girls kind of run things around here, so that's how it went :)  I thought we pulled it off pretty well though!  I was really happy with the clothes we found at the D.I. if only I had a picture of Erika in her jacket and not the hoodie underneath the costume.  We left her jacket at Nate's Parents' the night before, so she was underdressed.  And unfortunately it was just too cold to take her out trick-or-treating too, so they were short a chipmunk that night.  Charity learned early on that she wasn't as recognizable without Luke.  I think that's the downside to doing a theme.  But anyway.  Nate took the kids out, they did the same route they made last year, making sure to hit the Milligan's house since they give out THE BEST STUFF!!!!  (I'm not even exaggerating, everytime the kids talked about Halloween this year, they brought up the Milligan's house..... they're seriously famous!)  We had planned on going to the ward Trunk-or-Treat, but got mixed up on the time and showed up just as it was ending :*(  I was a little bummed because that was going to be my time to hang out with them, but I think everyone else was really okay with going home and dumping out the bags. 

I haven't even mentioned the fact that I also left my camera at Nate's Parents' so luckily my Dad was okay with me borrowing his.  Only his had the telescopic lens that I was too afraid to change, so I took these pictures from clear across the room.  It was hilarious.  And I didn't bother getting it out when the kids got home. Hopefully Brent and Sarah will share the great ones Brent took that night.  We had a lot of fun hanging out with the family and eating candy.  We had a few trick-or-treaters, but mostly just noncostumed teenagers.  If you're going to go trick-or-treating when you're too old for it, at least DRESS UP!!!